


Holiday Angst

by obs3ss1ons



Category: Station 19 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Christmas, F/M, Meet the Family, established relationship (sort of), new year's
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 11:45:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 17,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17344673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obs3ss1ons/pseuds/obs3ss1ons
Summary: Lucas surprises Vic by asking her to spend Christmas with him and his family. Angst, arguments, embarrassment, and hilarity ensues.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This started out as a one-shot but kind of took off on me. It's finished, but I belatedly decided to rewrite the last few chapters. Enjoy what I have so far, though!
> 
> Also, it is rated M for a later chapter. Most of it will be more in the Teen range.

Snow fell outside, some sticking to the windowpane. Inside, the only light came from the TV. A Christmas movie played quietly – something about high school sweethearts falling in love again. Vic rested on the couch, her head on Lucas's lap. They'd just finished dinner that he'd brought over and somehow hadn't made it to the bedroom yet. It was quiet, peaceful, and just a bit romantic.

But then Lucas asked, “Why don't you have any decorations up yet?”

Vic sat up so she could look at him. “What?”

“Christmas is a week away. You don't have a single Santa or snowman or even a tree.”

“Why would I waste time to decorate just for me?” she asked with a shrug. “It's not like I'm here often enough to enjoy it.”

Lucas was silent for several minutes, staring at the TV. Vic thought maybe they were done talking. She snuggled up to his side, where she seemed to fit perfectly. He slid his arm around her and pulled her tight against him. Vic had just begun watching the movie again when he asked, “What does your family do for Christmas?”

“Everyone goes to my parents’ for dinner. Then we hand out gifts and reveal Secret Santa's, if it hasn't already been guessed,” Vic told him. She smiled at the memories of trying not to let everyone know whose name she was given each year. But that faded to loneliness since she'd be missing it this year. She cleared her throat from emotion and said, “I won't be there this year. Paying for this place didn't allow for a plane ticket or time off.”

“What will you do, then?”

Vic replied, “I'll probably volunteer to work. Might as well let someone else spend the day with family.”

He fell quiet again. Vic glanced over at him. His eyebrows were drawn together, and his eyes were closed. Obviously he was thinking about something. Maybe he felt bad that she had to miss out on Christmas with her family. Or, knowing him, that any of his firefighters had to work that day. But it happened in their line of work. Somebody had to keep Seattle safe.

When she realized Lucas still hadn't said anything, Vic asked, “What are you thinking about so hard?”

He opened his eyes and focused on her. A smile touched his lips. He grasped her hand – something they really hadn't done a lot of just yet. Vic felt her heartbeat pick up pace. He seemed hesitant but finally inquired, “Would you be interested in spending Christmas with me and my family?”

Vic froze. They'd only been doing whatever it was they were doing for about six weeks. They hadn't even talked about what was going on between them, which until recently had been just a lot of sex. Really, really good sex. Meeting his family meant it was getting serious. Spending Christmas together meant it was getting serious. Vic wasn't sure she was ready for that yet.

She moved out of his grasp so his touch couldn't distract her. “Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, wouldn't it just be announcing that we're seeing each other?”

“Well, yes. To my family,” he admitted.

“And what would you tell them? ‘This is one of the firefighters I'm in charge of. She yelled at me a couple times, then apologized, and now we're sleeping together,’” Vic stated.

The smile on Lucas's face grew. “Sounds about right to me. Although we might leave out the ‘sleeping together’ part. That can stay between us.”

He moved toward her, managing to kiss that spot on her neck he already knew she liked. Vic pushed him away. “We can't leave out what we spend most of our time doing. Unless we lie to your family.”

“Fine,” Lucas gave in. He sat back and looked into her eyes. “Then how about we keep it simple? ‘This is Vic, my girlfriend.’”

What?! Vic's brain malfunctioned. Somehow they'd gone from talking about her lack of Christmas decorations to Lucas wanting to introduce her to his family as his girlfriend. Since when did six weeks of – amazingly good – sex lead to the girlfriend label? She licked her suddenly dry lips. “Umm…”

“Are you okay with that?”

“Uh,” she stammered. Was she? It'd been a while since she'd been anyone's girlfriend. And he was Lucas Ripley, Seattle's Fire Chief. Her boss's boss's boss. She finally said, “I wasn't aware we were ready to tell anyone yet.”

Once again he took her hand. “We'll have to eventually. But my family can keep a secret if we ask them to. Not that we'll have to worry about it.”

“Why wouldn't we worry? No one knows. Well, almost no one.” She paused at Lucas's look of surprise. “Gibson knows. If your family knows, and they see me with Maya or Andy or Travis, I don't know what to do. I am horrible at keeping secrets. Everyone at the station knows that, too.”

“Victoria.”

“What?”

“First of all, people will find out at some point. We'll deal with that when we need to. Second, Gibson? Do I want to know?” he stopped. Vic shook her head. Lucas continued, “Most importantly, you do not need to worry about anyone in my family accidentally giving us away.”

“Why?”

Lucas looked toward the TV. Vic waited. She was beginning to wonder if he would answer when he finally faced her again. He appeared nervous, which made Vic feel nervous. What was so special about his family? Did they have secrets of their own? Was that why Lucas wasn't worried about his own career-ending secret?

He let out a long sigh and told her, “They all live in Portland.”

Her brain must have short-circuited again. “I'm sorry. Did you just say Portland? As in Oregon?”

“Yes.”

“And you want me to go there with you. To Portland. To spend Christmas with your family,” she repeated. It didn't make sense. This wasn't them. They were just having some fun, adult sleepovers. Spending their off hours at her apartment. But going out of town? To another state? Vic stood and walked across the room toward the kitchen. She wasn't even sure what to think about all of this.

Lucas followed her but stopped several feet away. “If this is moving too fast, I'm sorry. You don't have to go. I'm not your Chief right now.”

Laughter escaped through Vic's lips. This was ridiculous. She shouldn't be having this conversation. Especially not with the Fire Chief. But, like he said, they were off duty. They weren't Chief Ripley and Hughes. They were Lucas and Victoria.

“I can leave if you want. Give you some time to think.”

“No,” she said before lifting her gaze to meet his. She thought as she spoke. “You're right. B shift is scheduled for Christmas day. I have nothing else to do. So I guess I will go and meet your family. That I know nothing about. How many will be there anyway?”

Lucas smirked. “Relax. It will just be my parents and my sister with her husband and three daughters. Nothing fancy. We'll eat breakfast, open presents, and then finish cooking dinner. After we eat, we usually go see whatever Christmas movie is playing at the local theater.”

“That sounds…quaint,” Vic observed. Then part of what he said caught her attention. “Wait, breakfast? Isn't Portland, like, four hours away?”

“Around two and a half.”

“There's no way we can be there for breakfast. My shift doesn't end until that morning,” she pointed out.

He moved closer and said, “I think I know someone who could pull some strings.”

Vic shook her head and held up a hand to stop his advancement. “No. No giving me special treatment at work.”

“Then what do you call what happened in the turnout room?”

She felt her cheeks warm at that particular memory. “That was different. And you said yourself that we shouldn't have done that.”

“But we did,” he said. He moved closer. Vic felt the countertop press into her back. When had she moved?  
“Seriously, I can't ask you to do that.”

“You didn't ask.” He stepped right in front of her. His hands touched her hips, and his eyes focused on her lips.

Vic found it hard to remember what she was trying to say. “People will ask how I managed time off so late.”

He kissed her briefly, then said, “Just tell them your boyfriend surprised you with an overnight getaway for Christmas.”

Her heart stuttered again. “My boyfriend?”

“Yes.” His lips moved to her neck.

She moaned. “Nobody knows I have a boyfriend.”

“Except Gibson.”

Vic laughed. “Except him.”

“You're going to explain that later, by the way,” Lucas told her, pulling away slightly.

“Maybe,” she managed before pulling his head toward hers and kissing him.

He kissed back for several seconds before breaking away and saying, “Like during a two-and-a-half hour car ride on Christmas Eve?”

Instead of answering, she attacked his mouth with hers. Neither said anything more about Christmas. They did eventually make it to the bedroom long after the movie on the TV had ended. It wasn't until they were both satiated and drifting to sleep that Vic caught what Lucas had said. “We're going to Portland the day before Christmas? Please tell me we're staying in a hotel.”

Lucas laughed and tugged her up against him. “Nope.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic finds out what kind of strings Lucas pulled for her

Vic walked into the station slowly and with her head down. Lucas had said he'd take care of her shift, but he never told her how. So she had to pretend like it was any other day instead of the day she would meet her boyfriend's parents. A chill raced through her body. She still wasn't used to having a label for him outside of work.

“Hey, Vic!” Travis greeted her. “Merry Christmas!”

“Uh, yeah. You, too,” she replied without looking at him.

He stopped walking and said, “Hold up. What's wrong?”

She shook her head and moved toward the kitchen. “Nothing's wrong.”

“You're hiding something.”

“Nope. I'm not hiding anything. I'm just going to get some breakfast.” She walked off before he could say anything else. He gave her a look when he passed her but didn't press it. Vic let out a silent sigh. She made it through the first interaction without spilling her secrets. She just hoped Lucas would get her out of there soon.

She managed to avoid further awkward conversations by being assigned to clean the bunk room by herself. Everybody exchanged glances when Sullivan called out her order for the day, including Vic. He never made someone do chores by themselves. And the bunks had been deep cleaned the week before, which meant it wouldn't take her long to finish.

Three hours and one call-out later, Vic headed to get a broom to sweep the bunk room. Everything else was done, so she wasn't sure what Sullivan would have her do next. She held the broom and was walking through the front lobby when Sullivan called out to her from his office, “Hughes, can you step in here, please?”

She did. One of the men from B-shift stood in front of the desk, in uniform. Vic glanced from him to Sullivan. “Do you need something, Sir?”

Sullivan gestured to the other firefighter. “Brock has agreed to come in early and finish your shift for you.”

“Uh, thanks, Brock,” she stammered. She stepped forward and shook his hand.

He accepted her words with a nod. “It's no problem. My family already had our Christmas celebration. I just hope your family emergency doesn't ruin the holiday for you.”

“My – family emergency,” she repeated, looking to Sullivan for clarity.

He said, “I didn't give any details in case you didn't want it to be known.”

His choice of words caused suspicion to rise in Vic's mind. What details of her “family emergency” did he know? But Brock’s voice grabbed her attention when he asked, “What chores do you have left?”

She held out the broom. “Just sweeping the bunk room.”

“Great. I'll go get started. Good luck, Hughes. Captain,” he finished with a nod. Vic handed the broom over and watched him leave. What, exactly, had Lucas done?

“Just to be clear, I do not agree with this,” Sullivan said quietly.

Vic faced him and asked, “With what, Sir?”

He glanced toward the door before telling her, “The favors. It puts me in a situation that I do not appreciate being in.”

“What are you talking about?” she inquired even though she was beginning to understand.

He cleared his throat and checked the open doorway again. “You should go, Hughes. Your ride will pick you up at six.”

“Uh, thank you, Sir,” she forced out. He only responded with a look that wasn't friendly yet wasn't quite a glare. Vic left his office and went straight to her locker. She wasn't sure if she should be happy, angry, or amused. Lucas had definitely pulled some strings to get her out of the station. And in plenty of time to pack – something she probably should have done the day before.

She almost made it to the door when the alarm went off for both trucks and the aid car. Vic hesitated to give them time to clear out so she wouldn't hold them up. They'd find out something was going on when Brock joined them instead of her. She expected a few calls later on, but hopefully she would have a plan on what to tell them by then.

She finished packing her overnight bag in record time. She even managed to wrap the gifts Lucas had helped her buy for his family members. She was wrapping his youngest niece's tutu-wearing teddy bear when her phone rang. A check of the screen had her wishing she could ignore it. But that would just make things worse.

“Hey, Travis.”

“Where are you? What happened? Is this why you were so out of sorts this morning? Why didn't you tell me?” his rapid fire questions came through the phone.

“Are you done?” she asked during a pause.

“No,” he responded. “What's going on with you and why didn't you say something?”

Vic sucked in a deep breath. She could do this. “I have to go home for a couple of days to see my family. I - don't really want to talk about it just yet.”

“You know you can talk to me, right?” Travis asked, his voice softer.

It broke her heart to think about his reaction when he found out the truth. How could she hurt her friends like this? Maybe it was time for her and Lucas to let their secret out. She could hear her own emotions in her voice when she said, “I know I can. I will. Just not yet.”

“Okay,” he replied. “Promise to call me when you do need to talk.”

“I will,” she promised. “Oh, and Merry Christmas, Montgomery.”

“Merry Christmas, Hughes.” They hung up, and Vic tossed her phone onto the couch. She'd done it. She told a lie to hide a secret. She wasn't sure if it was a good thing that it was getting easier. But she did know that it couldn't go on forever. They needed to decide what they wanted in the future and how they were going to make their relationship public.

She was still thinking about her team finding out when her doorbell rang. A glance at the clock showed that it was a quarter till six. She opened her door to find a very happy looking Lucas. “Merry Christmas, Vic. You ready to go?”

“You told Sullivan,” she said in response.

His smile faded. He held up his hands in surrender. “I did. I let it slip when I visited him in the hospital.”

“That was a month ago! And you didn't tell me!” she stated, her hands going to her hips.

Lucas moved her so he could enter the apartment and shut the door. “You didn't tell me Gibson knew, either.”

He had a point. Vic let her hands fall. “I really don't want to meet your parents when we're in the middle of an argument.”

“Then let's not argue,” he suggested. He cupped her jaws with his hands, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Sullivan knows. Gibson knows. The whole department will find out one day. But right now I want to pack your things in my truck and leave the secrecy behind so we can spend Christmas together.”

“With your parents,” she added.

“With my parents,” he repeated. “Who are eager to meet you, by the way. I do have to warn you, it's been a while since I introduced them to a woman. And they didn't exactly like the last one.”

She stared at him. “Why are you telling me this now? I'm not ready for an interrogation.”

Lucas's laughter broke through her panic. She glared until he stopped. “You yelled at me before we started sleeping together, when I was just the Fire Chief. You told me I wasn't doing my job right. I think you can handle anything they throw at you.”

Vic turned her back on him. She went into her bedroom and grabbed her bag. When she returned to the living room, Lucas stood next to the door with all of her wrapped gifts in his arms. He lifted one eyebrow and asked, “Are we good?”

Despite still wanting to be mad at him, Vic couldn't help but say, “Well, no. Playing hooky from work and lying to the entire department isn't exactly ‘being good’. But yes, we're ready to go to your parents' house.”

He shook his head as he opened the door. Vic glanced around to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything and followed him out. She locked her door, then closed her eyes and rested her head against the wood paneling. She was really doing this. She was going to Portland to meet Lucas's parents and sister. Why? Because she was just a bit crazy. She lifted her head just as he started down the stairs. And because she really, really liked the way his ass filled out those jeans.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic meets the parents

The ride actually turned out to be enjoyable. They stopped for dinner a couple towns outside of Seattle. It wasn't fancy, but it was the first time they were able to actually eat in public together. After dinner, they got back on the interstate and headed south. Conversation came easily since they were technically still in the getting-to-know-you stage.

Vic was describing New Year's Eve in New York City when Lucas suggested, “Maybe we can spend that holiday with your family.”

She pursed her lips, then said, “Let's see how this holiday goes first.”

“You think it will go that badly?”

“I just don't want to plan too far ahead.”

“It's one week!” he pointed out.

“Exactly,” Vic stated. They slid into a comfortable silence for several miles. Vic watched the scenery pass by. She hadn't traveled much except back and forth between Seattle and New York. The landscape outside Seattle was beautiful in its own way.

After two more arguments, one pit stop, and half an hour of them belting out Christmas carols, they entered the city of Portland. Vic's anxiety grew. What would Lucas's parents think of her? Of their relationship? And she hadn't mentioned the obvious age gap. Some people looked down on couples just because they had a few years between them.

Would his family be that way? Would they disapprove because of his title at work? Or they might just not like her. It could happen, right? She shouldn't have agreed to this. Christmas was supposed to be a happy time, not stressful. Not awkward. And that's exactly what the next twenty-four hours would be.

“Victoria, get out of your head,” Lucas said quietly. He reached over and linked their hands together. “Everything will be fine. At least until we go back to work, anyway.”

She glared at him. “You mean when I have to work with the team you forced Sullivan and me to lie to?”

Surprisingly, he grinned. “See? We could escape next week, too. Put it all off until the new year.”

“You are incorrigible,” Vic told him. He kissed her hand before letting it go. She ignored him the rest of the drive, which fortunately – or unfortunately? - didn't take long. They pulled into the driveway of a modest, two story house with decorations on every available space. “Now I see why my apartment bothered you.”

“Well, it is sad that you don't even have a tree. But my parents tend to go a bit overboard on the holiday cheer,” he replied. Vic continued to stare as she climbed out of the truck and took her bag from Lucas. He reached back in for the gifts and asked, “You ready for this?”

“Can we leave if I say no?”

Lucas shook his head just as the front door opened. “Not a chance. You agreed to this.”

“You talked me into it.”

“Lucas! It's so good to see you!” an older woman rushed toward them from the house. Lucas stepped away from Vic to give the woman a side hug.

“I'm glad to be home,” he said. Then he turned and gestured toward Vic. “Mom, this is Victoria. Vic, meet my mom.”

Vic forced a smile on her face and offered a hand. His mom used that hand to pull her into a hug. “You're so gorgeous! So much prettier than the last woman my son brought home.”

Lucas groaned, which caused Vic's smile to turn genuine. Maybe she could find a way to enjoy her time here and get to know his mom. Embarrassing Lucas would be an added bonus. To his mom, she said, “Thank you, Mrs. Ripley.”

“Call me Mom. Everyone does. Or if you're not comfortable with that, you can call me Anne,” the woman told her. Vic glanced toward Lucas, who shrugged.

“Anne, it's nice to meet you.”

Lucas cleared his throat. “Can we move this inside where it's warmer?”

Everyone agreed, so they grabbed the rest of their stuff and headed into the house. Anne directed Lucas to the Christmas tree since he was carrying most of the presents they'd brought. Vic just followed behind. She admired the cozy room where the tree stood. An organ took up half of one wall, surrounded by pictures of two children – a boy and a girl – as they grew up.

“Well if it isn't the prodigal son,” came a deep voice from behind Vic. She spun around to see an older version of Lucas standing in the doorway.

Lucas moved around her and greeted the man who had to be his dad. Vic stared at the two of them together. Almost the same height, same blonde hair. The older Ripley had a few extra pounds, but he could still be considered slender. She could easily see what Lucas would look like in a few years.

“Vic, come here,” Lucas called. She broke out of her trance and stepped up to his side. He slid his arm around her waist. “Vic, meet my dad, Dan.”

“It's a pleasure,” she said automatically. 

Dan looked at Lucas. “Well, isn't she polite. Thinks she can hide her nerves with it.”

“Don't let her fool you,” Lucas warned. “She yells at me on a regular basis.”

“Seems like your type,” Anne commented from behind them.

Lucas groaned yet again. “Really, Mom? It's been over a decade.”

Anne appeared next to Vic. “Yes, and I'm sure you've had girlfriends in between. But you've only ever let us meet three.”

And there goes Vic's brain malfunctioning again. Was it a coincidence that Lucas had been married twice? And now he was introducing her to his parents. She looked up at him and told him, “You better not be planning on doing anything stupid while we're here, Chief. I'm not done with spice yet.”

Lucas kissed the top of her head. “There's the Vic I'm used to. Always telling me how things should be.”

“Someone needs to,” Anne said. Then she told her husband, “I actually like this one.”

“Third time's the charm,” Dan added. Vic was sure her cheeks could probably set the house on fire. She liked Lucas's parents, but she would have to make sure he didn't have anything stupid planned for her the next day. She definitely was not finished with the spice part of this relationship.

The group moved into the kitchen, where Anne produced mugs of coffee for everyone. Dan stirred some sugar into his and said, “So I noticed you call Lucas, Chief. Did you meet through work?”

Vic looked at Lucas. He sipped his coffee, offered a smile, and responded, “Vic is a firefighter, too.”

“What city?” Anne asked.

“Seattle,” Vic admitted before hiding behind her mug. She waited for the implication to set in.

She didn't have to wait but a few seconds before Dan said, “You both work for the same department. Lucas, doesn't that mean that you're her boss?”

“Technically, yes,” Lucas replied. “There are a few ranks between us.”

“A few ranks?” came from Anne.

“Lucas is at the top, and I'm at the bottom. I've barely finished my first year,” Vic told them. Might as well get it all out in the open, right? She didn't think she could keep up with telling lies. Secrets were hard.

Dan seemed to study her. Vic shifted in her chair. Now the interrogation would start. But she could do this. She ran into fires for a living. Some would call her a hero. And Lucas was by her side. He wouldn't leave her hanging if she froze. So she sipped her coffee and waited for the first question.

“Victoria, which is more important to you – your job or my son?” Dan asked.

Vic choked on her coffee. So they were starting with the hard stuff. She got her breathing back under control while also formulating an answer. Then she looked Dan in the eye and said, “At this point I would have to say neither. Lucas and I are still figuring out where we want our relationship to go. At work, I'm still finding the path I want to take. I can't even say I'd be willing to give up one for the other. Not yet, anyway.”

Lucas leaned over and kissed her cheek. She gave him a brief smile. His parents sat silently for so long Vic's confidence began to disappear. What were they thinking? Did she say the wrong thing? Did they expect her to choose Lucas over her job? She couldn't do that yet, though she might have to once people started finding out.

“Well,” Anne said as she set her mug down, “You're both adults. You make your own decisions. I trust you'll be able to handle that decision when the time comes.”

“Thanks, Mom. Your support means a lot,” Lucas told her.

Anne let out a short laugh and shook her head. “Where did we go wrong with our children, Dan?”

“Maybe we just didn't teach them enough about not taking risks,” Dan suggested.

Vic’s gaze shifted between them and landed on Lucas. His head was lowered, and she could see a red tint on his cheeks. She looked back at his parents. “What am I missing?”

Lucas answered her, “Apparently we don't know what it means to avoid risks. I'm dating you, and my sister is married to her former college advisor.”

Well, that explained a lot.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic meets the rest of the family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is rated M. Enjoy 😊

Vic woke up to lips against her neck and the sense of someone above her. She moaned and pressed her head back into the pillow to give him better access. And as she knew he would, Lucas took advantage. His lips gently sucked and licked the sensitive flesh just under her ear. His hands slid over her body, slowly waking her up. Vic slipped her fingers into his hair and pulled his lips up to meet hers.

One of his hands stopped at her breast while the other moved down between her thighs. She parted her legs and felt him moan in response. Her own hands descended down his hard back to cup his ass. She pressed him down until he was stretched out on top of her, the entire length of their bodies touching.

The pressure of his hips pushed his hand against her groin. His fingers stroked her as much as they could, but it wasn't enough. She rolled her hips against his. Lucas picked up on her cue and lifted himself up just enough to replace his hand with his hardness. Their mouths muffled each other's cries of pleasure as he entered her in one slow thrust.

They set a rhythm together that was quick yet quiet, just as they'd done the night before. Vic was acutely aware that they weren't alone in the house, but she was addicted to sex with Lucas. If they could have sex in the turnout room without anyone hearing, then they could enjoy it in a bedroom upstairs in his parents' house. And enjoy it she did.

Before long, she felt the pressure building. She clung to him. She tore her mouth from his and sucked in a lungful of air as her orgasm crashed over her. Lucas's lips moved to her shoulder, where he surprised her by biting down as his own orgasm hit a few minutes later. She sucked on her lip to keep from yelping.

Once his mind and body reunited, he lifted his head and offered a tired smile. “Merry Christmas, Victoria.”

“You bit me,” she responded.

His eyes widened and focused on her shoulder. “I'm so sorry.”

“You should be,” she told him, rubbing the sore skin she knew would bruise. Then she reached up to kiss him and added, “But I forgive you. This time.”

“Thank you,” he said. He pushed himself off of her and out of the bed. Vic pulled the sheet and comforter over herself as she watched him walk into the connected bathroom. She could handle waking up like that in the mornings. It was definitely better than running out while he was in the shower.

The door suddenly flew open, and a tiny voice said, “You're not Uncle Luke.”

Vic held the comforter against her chest and sat up. A young girl about six or seven stood at the foot of the bed, her eyes wide. “No, I'm not your uncle.”

“Who are you?” the child demanded.

“Emma, leave Uncle Luke and his guest alone,” came a feminine voice from the hallway.

The girl spun around and whined, “But they're taking too long! We need to eat breakfast so we can open presents.”

A woman with the same blonde hair and blue eyes as Lucas stepped through the doorway. “Presents will come soon enough. Go downstairs and play with the doll Santa brought you while Uncle Luke and his friend get dressed.”

She ushered the child out of the room and closed the door. Vic fell back with her hands over her eyes. “Oh my God.”

Laughter drifted in from the bathroom seconds before Lucas appeared. “So you met one of my nieces and my sister.”

Vic tossed her pillow at him. “It's so not funny, Lucas! What if she came in two minutes earlier?”

“Then she would be having an important discussion about biology right now instead of playing with a toy,” he stated. He set his bag on the bed and started digging through it. “You might want to get dressed. I give it five minutes before one of Emma's sisters gets impatient and follows her lead.”

Vic groaned and sat up, swinging her legs off the edge of the bed. “Well, that experience cleared up one thing for me.”

“What's that?”

“I'm never having kids,” she said as she headed for the bathroom.

Lucas called out, “Never?”

She poked her head back into the bedroom and replied, “At least not any time soon. That was embarrassing and probably scarred her for life.”

“She'll be fine. Good to know about you not wanting kids, by the way,” he commented. Vic's breath caught in her chest. She was not having that discussion with him. That would be months down the road, if they made it that long. Having children was not a subject to discuss with the person you'd only recently upgraded from just someone to have sex with.

Vic went on into the bathroom and cleaned up. She used the mirror to check on her shoulder. There were definitely man-sized teeth marks marring her skin. A red tint already circled it with patches of a faint blue. Thankfully she brought a sweater to wear that day, and her uniform at work covered everything below the neck. Nobody needed to know that the Fire Chief bit her during sex. That would announce their relationship without them actually telling anyone.

They managed to get dressed and make it downstairs without any more unexpected guests. Everyone else was already seated around the table when they entered the kitchen. Lucas's sister looked up and blushed, then said, “I am so sorry. I had no idea you brought someone with you this year.”

“It's fine, Jules,” Lucas told her. He tugged on Vic's hand until she was beside him. “Everyone, this is Victoria. Vic, that's Julia and her husband, Brent. You already met their middle daughter, Emma. The little one is McKenzie, and the big girl sneaking Mom's coffee is Sarah.”

“Hi, everyone,” Vic said with a wave. Emma slid out of her chair and walked over to them with her head bowed.

“I'm sorry I scared your friend, Uncle Luke.”

He lowered himself so he was on her level and said, “Thank you, Emma. You need to tell Ms. Vic sorry, too.”

The girl lifted her head. “I'm sorry, Ms. Vic.”

“It's okay. I didn't get too scared,” Vic replied. Emma ran back to her chair. Lucas led Vic to the coffee maker and poured some into two mugs. As soon as they were seated between his dad and Sarah, everybody began piling pancakes and bacon onto their plates. Vic was questioned by Julia, but not nearly as hard as Anne and Dan had.

She realized by the time breakfast was over that if she had met Julia another way, they would've become friends. They had a lot of the same interests, including telling Lucas what to do. Julia even travelled to New York City frequently for her job. Vic loved hearing outside views of her home from people who loved it as much as she did.

Julia's daughters, however, were annoying and cute at the same time. Vic could tell they weren't used to Lucas introducing them to anyone. They asked their own questions and had their own opinions. They were respectful, though, which was more than she could say about her own nieces and nephews. The young girls were just curious about her.

And that was before they found out she was a firefighter.

“Girls can't be firemen,” Emma declared.

“Yes, they can,” Sarah argued. “Right, Uncle Luke?”

“That's right, Sarah,” he agreed. “Vic's station has three girls.” Vic ignored the raised eyebrow from Julia.

“I hope you're still a firefighter when I grow up. Maybe I can work at your station, too,” Sarah told Vic. Vic glanced at Lucas.

Brent spoke up, “A lot can happen in eight years, Sarah.”

Lucas whispered in Vic's ear, “Sarah has decided she's going to be a firefighter like me. Julia and Brent keep hoping she'll change her mind.”

“Why?” Vic asked quietly.

“Jules tells me she doesn't need two people she cares about running into danger,” he whispered back. Then he added, “I think I can understand where she's coming from.”

A chill ran down Vic's back. The things Lucas had said over the last week were beginning to add up to something Vic wasn't sure she was ready for. She'd known him as more than the Fire Chief for less than two months. She hadn't told her family that she was seeing him. Not even Andy or Maya knew there was someone in her life. Of course they would want to know who it was, and she couldn't tell them his name without them figuring it out.

Yet he was introducing her to his family, which was apparently a very rare occurrence. And he kept hinting at a future with her when they hadn't made it over the first hurdle of getting approval from the department. Surely they needed to take care of that before they made plans for their future. She enjoyed what they had already. The sex was amazing. They were comfortable. But she wasn't sure she wanted to make a choice between being a firefighter and dating Lucas. She honestly didn't think she could.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic learns a lot about Lucas and makes a realization

The rest of the day was just as awkward and entertaining as the morning. Everybody loved the gifts Vic gave them. She was surprised to find out his parents had a gift for her as well. Julia saw the bright red scarf and told her, “We would've gotten you something if we knew you were coming. Or that you even existed.”

The second part was directed at Lucas. Vic glanced his way and replied to Julia, “Yeah, he's not very forthcoming with information. I didn't know you existed until a week ago, after I agreed to come.”

“Hey, you said yourself we're still getting to know each other,” Lucas protested. “Though I have to admit I already know that you have one brother and two sisters that don't live in Seattle.”

“How do you know that?” Vic asked.

Lucas grinned. “It's in your file.”

Vic punched his stomach. Julia inquired, “You have access to her file?”

“I'm her Chief,” Lucas said.

“He's my Chief,” Vic answered at the same time. Julia's eyes widened. Brent chuckled beside his wife. Vic explained, “Lucas is the Fire Chief of all of Seattle Fire Department. I'm a low-level firefighter at one of the stations he's in charge of. So, yes, he has access to my personnel file. Even if it's cheating to read what I haven't told him yet.”

“Perks of the job, Hughes,” he replied. She punched him again. Vic never would have thought just a couple months ago she would be punching him, on Christmas, in front of his family. While also feeling the dull pain of his teeth marks on her shoulder. Life had gotten crazy.

“Wait a second, your last name is Hughes?” Julia suddenly asked. Vic nodded. Julia looked to Lucas and continued, “As in the same Hughes you complained about telling you how to do your job just a few months ago?”

Vic faced Lucas. His face was red, and he was obviously avoiding her gaze. He told his sister, “Yep, she's the same one.”

Julia laughed, followed by Brent. Lucas's parents soon joined in. Vic asked, “What did you tell them about me?”

He finally met her eyes and held up his hands in surrender. “Just that you were a rookie firefighter passionate about the job.” Dan snorted, and Lucas added, “And that you were probably going to chase me out of my position so you could take over.”

Laughter erupted in the room again. Lucas actually looked a bit embarrassed that she knew what he'd said about her. But as she thought about it, she realized it was probably partially true. She might very well get his job taken away from him. But it had nothing to do with wanting to take over the department. No, it would be because he was in love with her.

And that, Vic realized, was what had changed about him. Why he wanted her to meet his family. Why he insisted they spend Christmas together. The hints he'd been giving about their future. Forcing Sullivan to find a replacement to finish her shift. It was all because he was in love with her.

“Vic, are you okay? It was right after the skyscraper, before I joined the grief share group,” Lucas told her, sliding his hand around her waist and pressing his fingers into her side.

She gave him her usual peppy grin and said, “I'm great. I'm just trying to figure out a new plan to work my way to the top so I can take your job from you.”

He looked confused for a moment, but then his face relaxed into a smile. He kissed her. She placed a hand against his cheek. When they broke the kiss, she stared into his eyes. Yep, she could see it now. He was in love with her. But what the hell was she going to do about that?

“Mama, is Uncle Luke and Ms. Vic married like you and Daddy?” Emma inquired in her innocent little voice. Vic pulled away from Lucas.

Julia told her daughter, “Not yet, Sweetie.”

Vic’s eyes flew to Julia's. The woman smiled a knowing smile. Vic glanced around the room. Brent was in conversation with Sarah. Anne was helping McKenzie open a present while watching Vic and Lucas. Dan just stared at them with a controlled, blank stare. Vic squirmed. This was officially the most awkward Christmas ever.

Lucas tapped her leg. When she looked at him, he said, “You have one more. I promise it's not a ring.”

Vic accepted the box. She opened it to find an envelope. Inside that were round-trip plane tickets to New York City, set a week apart. Tears sprang to her eyes. “Thank you, Lucas.”

“You seemed so upset about missing Christmas with your family.”

“What about my shifts? The end of January is too soon to request time off.”

“Another perk of the job,” Lucas said. “It's already taken care of.”

Realization hit. “The favors. Sullivan told me he didn't like being part of the favors.”

Lucas chuckled. “Yeah, I owe him a few favors now, too.”

Vic laughed with him. Everyone was finished opening presents by then, so Sarah and Emma collected the trash. Anne announced it was time to cook what wasn't already prepared for lunch. Lucas held Vic back when the others left the room.

“Remember when you made me work for my cake on Miller's birthday?” he asked. Vic nodded, a smile playing at her lips. Lucas kissed her and then said, “I plan to reward you for your help with lunch in the same way you did the next day.”

He walked away, leaving her to stare after him. He expected her to go into a room with his family after hearing that? Vic mentally shook the image away. She followed him to the kitchen already formulating a plan to make him pay for making her uncomfortable.

Each person seemed to have their traditional jobs, so Vic just helped Lucas with his. The conversation was less stressful with a lot less questions. The focus shifted away from Vic as they each talked about various things going on in their lives. She tensed up when the storm from a month ago was brought up. But Lucas seemed to notice and ended that discussion by stating, “It was bad. Vic and I both almost lost some close friends.”

Everyone offered sympathetic looks, and the subject was changed. Vic was grateful. Both Andy and Sullivan were fine, but it hadn't looked that way when they found them. She could still remember the feeling of dread mixed with fear at the sight of the upturned aid car.

Sooner than Vic expected, Anne announced that lunch was ready. Vic's stomach rumbled at the sight of all the food they'd prepared. It reminded her a lot of the meal her own family would be enjoying. Wistfulness coursed through her, but it was replaced by a smile when Lucas kissed her cheek. “Let's eat.”

“This food is amazing,” Vic said several minutes later. She shoveled another bite of green bean casserole into her mouth.

“It's a combination of old family recipes,” Anne informed her. “I can give them to you if you'd like.”

Vic shook her head. “I'd just ruin it. I can't cook anything worth eating.”

“This is true,” Lucas commented.

Before Vic could respond, Julia said, “It's not like you're any better. I still can't eat lasagna without remembering your attempt at it when we were in college.”

“This sounds interesting,” Vic said, looking to Lucas for an explanation.

He bit off half of a roll and chewed very slowly. Recognizing one of her own tricks to avoiding telling something, Vic turned to Julia. His sister was happy to tell her. “He wanted to make homemade lasagna for everybody after watching some celebrity chef do it. But Lucas didn't even read a recipe beforehand. He just dumped a bunch of ingredients into a casserole dish and stuck it in the oven.”

Dan picked up the story. “It was so horrible we could smell it outside. Half of it was burnt, and the other was still raw.”

Vic faced Lucas again. “And I thought I was a horrible cook. I at least follow directions.”

“Lucas never has,” Anne stated. That led to more stories of Lucas's adventures growing up. Vic loved hearing every single one. She especially loved the stories that seemed to still embarrass him. While she did feel sorry for her boyfriend, seeing the Fire Chief being made uncomfortable by his own family gave her an odd sense of delight. If only she could tell her fellow firefighters so they could laugh about it, too.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic makes a decision

Vic entered the station in a daze. So much had happened over the last two days that her tired brain couldn't process it all. She enjoyed her time with Lucas's family despite all of the awkwardness. She liked being able to be open with him, too. No worries of being found out. No secrets. No lies. Just the experience of her boss's boss's boss falling in love with her.

“I didn't expect to see you today,” Miller's voice said from beside her. “Is everything okay with your family?”

She blinked as confusion cleared slightly. Oh, right. The lie. “They're fine. False alarm.”

“That's good,” he replied as he moved past her. Vic shook herself free of her recent revelation and followed him. Andy, Gibson, and Travis were already there.

“Vic! You're back! Already? Is everything okay now? You're not smiling. Why aren't you smiling?” Travis started.

She pushed him away and told everyone, “My family is fine. I'm going back to see them next month.”

That was way too easy. She really was getting good at this secret keeping. She began filling a plate with breakfast and headed for the table. Andy waited until she sat down to ask, “So what happened? Sullivan didn't give us any details.”

Vic nearly choked on her eggs. She kept her gaze down and replied, “My dad thought he had a heart attack. Tests showed it's just some bad acid reflux.”

“Oh, man. That had to be scary,” Andy said.

“Uh, yeah. It was,” Vic agreed. She bit off a chunk of toast and chewed while her mind wandered. Her dad really did have acid reflux, so not everything she said was a lie. But she did not like lying to her friends. She needed to have a serious talk with Lucas. It was time to either stop seeing each other or go public.

Sullivan called for lineup, and Vic was the first to reach her spot. The others fell in beside her, and their Captain moved down the line. He paused when he reached her. “Hughes, I hope your…trip went well.”

“It did, Sir,” she choked out. She ignored Travis's glance. Something definitely needed to change. Somebody would figure it out if she was nervous every time she spoke to Sullivan, or when Lucas had to visit the station.

She came up with an idea when the assignments were given. She was supposed to check hoses with Travis. And really, he needed to be the first person to find out if she wanted to minimize the damage to their friendship. So as soon as they were alone and had rolled out the first hose, Vic said, “I need to tell you something, and I'm pretty sure you're not going to like it.”

“Don't tell me you're moving back to New York,” he stated as he picked up another hose.

Vic started checking the first for holes. “Uh, no. I'm not planning to go anywhere.”

He stopped and looked at her. “Not planning to? Are you in some kind of trouble?”

“Maybe. I'm not exactly sure yet.”

“Okay…”

She stood and faced him. Might as well get it over with. “I've been seeing Ripley for the last two months. Romantically.”

Travis went silent. He stared at her with his mouth hanging open. Vic fidgeted. Why wasn't he saying something? Yelling at her. Telling her how stupid she was. That she was out of her mind. That she ruined her career. Because she was pretty sure she was all of those things.

“Is there a problem in here?” Sullivan asked from behind Vic.

“I think I broke him,” Vic admitted. She looked at Sullivan and added, “I told him about my…extracurriculars for the last couple of months.”

Sullivan's eyes widened. “I thought you weren't telling anyone?”

“The Captain knows?” Travis yelled.

“And now he's fixed,” Vic murmured. “Yes, the Captain knows. And Gibson knows. And now you know.”

“Gibson knows?” Travis asked only slightly quieter than his first question.

Vic sighed. “Gibson found out by pure luck. Lucas told Sullivan. And I'm telling you. I can't keep this to myself any longer.”

“Lucas?” Travis inquired.

“Ripley,” Vic told him. She turned to Sullivan. “I'm going to talk to him tomorrow about going public. Please don't mention this conversation to him.”

Sullivan held up his hands. “This is between you two. I wish I had no part of it.”

Vic offered him a sympathetic smile. He left the bay area, and Vic looked back at Travis. “I'm sorry I lied to you and everyone else. I know I've messed up. Can you forgive me?”

Travis hesitated for a moment before saying, “I'm so impressed you kept this big of a secret for so long that I can't really be mad.”

“Yeah, I'm pretty proud of that,” Vic agreed. Then her smile faded. “I'm not proud of all the lies I've told to keep it a secret, though.”

“I don’t think everyone will forgive that easily, but I do” he told her. “How did it happen, anyway?”

She went back to checking the hose. “Well, I think it started at that grief share meeting we went to, when he talked about the skyscraper.”

Travis picked up the end of the second hose and started inspecting it. “So you two bonded over the thing that almost killed me. That's comforting.”

“It sounds even worse when you say it like that.”

“Wait a minute, is that why you two were so talkative the day we had the CPR courses?”

Vic felt her cheeks warm and pretended to look closer at a specific spot. “Uh, yeah that was the beginning of it.”

The alarm went off, but it was just for the aid car. Vic and Travis paused until Warren and Andy had left. As soon as the aid car was gone, Travis spoke again. “So all this time you've been walking around here with this huge secret, and nobody even guessed that you had a man in your life?”

“Pretty impressive, right?”

He opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. “Oh my God. Friendsgiving.”

Vic's breath hitched, causing her to cough. When she could breathe again, she asked, “What about it?”

“He was here that whole time. And I never picked up on it. How did I not notice?”

“Are you more upset about my relationship or about you not figuring it out for two months?” Vic asked. She began rolling up the first hose. “This one is good to go.”

Travis stopped checking the other hose and watched her. “You can't keep a secret. You've never been able to for more than five minutes. Yet when you decided to start dating our boss, you hide it for two months. Two months! That’s sixty days!”

“Okay, I get it. You're impressed by my newfound secret keeping abilities. But how do you feel about, you know, the actual relationship?” Vic pressed.

“Oh, I don't know. I mean it's crazy. You'll probably be fired, or he will be. Or both. I can't imagine the hell Frankel will put you through when she finds out,” he listed as he finished inspecting the second hose. They put both hoses up, and then he stopped and said, “But I can't say I blame you. He is gorgeous.”

Vic laughed. She picked up another hose and rolled it out. Travis apparently wasn't mad at her. She had someone she could talk to about Lucas – besides Gibson. Which was a good thing, because she already had something she needed to talk about. “I think he's in love with me.”

The hose Travis carried dropped to the floor. Vic glanced up. Travis stared at her again with his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open. She wondered if she needed to get the defibrillator. Clearly the idea shocked him as much as it did her.

“Say something, Montgomery. You said I could talk to you, and I need to talk.”

He physically shook himself. “I thought we would be talking about your family, not Ripley being in love with you.”

“My family is fine,” she let slip, then realized what she'd done.

Travis spoke quietly when he asked, “You didn't have a family emergency, did you?”

Oops. Vic avoided his gaze and said, “Yeah, about that…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the story is still under construction. I'll try to update as soon as I can!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and Lucas have a talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, I give you the next chapter and the confession. It will not go as you expect, though. You have been warned...

Anxiety coursed through Vic's body while she waited for her doorbell to ring. She had dinner waiting, already on plates on her small table. Lucas should be there any minute. Tonight was a big deal. They were going to have the discussion they should have had two months ago.

The doorbell rang, and she threw open the door. Lucas entered the apartment and greeted her with a kiss. He slipped his jacket off as he told her, “Sorry I'm late. I had a meeting run long.”

“It's fine. Dinner is on the table,” she replied. They moved into the kitchen and sat where they usually did when having meals together. Vic attempted to eat several bites while Lucas talked about his meeting. She pushed more around on her plate than she put in her mouth.

He apparently noticed because he stopped talking for several seconds before asking, “Is everything okay? You're not feeling sick, are you?”

She set her fork down and said, “We need to talk.”

He paused with his fork in the air. “About what?”

Vic sighed. “I told Montgomery about us yesterday.”

“Why?”

“Because I can't do it any more. I can't keep us a secret. I can't lie to my friends, my family. I never should have. We never should have,” she explained. She still couldn't make herself look at him.

Lucas's plate slid across the table. She looked up at the noise. His arms were folded on top of the table, and he had that look he wore when they fought at the skyscraper. His voice was steady as he asked, “So what do you want to do now?”

She shrugged. “Whatever we need to do. I know our relationship can and probably will affect your job. Mine will be over just because I'm a woman and barely above rookie status. So we can either go public and deal with the consequences, or I tell everyone at the station that it's over. Either way, I'm telling them everything.”

“What do you want?” he asked, his voice rough. Vic hesitated, not knowing what to say. Lucas's tone had a slight edge to it when he inquired, “Do you want it to be over?”

“It would be easier to go that route,” Vic stated. She lifted her gaze and looked him straight in the eye. “But I know how you feel about me, so really that part is up to you. I'll accept whatever you choose.”

Lucas let out a short laugh and shook his head. “How do you know how I feel about you when I don't even know yet?”

She offered a weak but hopefully supportive smile and placed a hand over his. “You love me.”

His mouth fell open, and his forehead crinkled the way it does when he's concentrating. “What makes you think that? As you've been reminding me, it’s barely been two months since we started seeing each other.”

“Well, your actions over the last week, for one. The things you've said. Taking me to meet your family,” she paused. “Don't think I missed what your mom said about me being the third woman you introduced them to. I know how many times you've been married.”

Lucas shook his head again. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I should've let you stick with your plans.”

“And let me work a double shift on Christmas?” she replied. “I don't think you'd be able to let that happen even if you weren't in love with me.”

“Why do you insist on me being in love with you? Do you even know what love feels like?” His voice rose as he spoke. Vic stared at him. The first few times they interacted, Vic thought he was an uncaring jerk. Now she knew otherwise. Or at least she thought she did. Lucas sighed and said, “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. This is all just so crazy.”

He stood up and walked across the room. When Vic realized he was heading for the door, she followed. “Where are you going? We're not finished talking about this.”

“We both need some time to think. We need to figure out what we want.”

“We need to do that together,” she pointed out. Lucas slid his jacket back on.

He faced her and said, “I need to do some thinking on my own. We'll talk later.”

Lucas kissed her on the cheek and left. Vic stood without moving, staring at her closed door. What had she done? She never should have pressured him. She shouldn't have told Travis about them. She shouldn't have admitted she knew he loved her. Now he was gone, and she was left alone to worry about the future.

A new thought popped into her head. She never thought about what might happen if they broke up. Would he fire her? Would he turn her in for harassment? Or would he just make her life and career miserable? He had the power to do any of those things.

Vic went back to the kitchen and picked up her phone. There was only one person she could call, and she didn't want to be alone. The phone rang several times before she heard Grant's voice say, “Hey, Vic.”

She heard her own watery voice when she spoke. “Hi, Grant. Is Travis available?”

“He can be. What's wrong?”

“I – just need to talk to him.”

Seconds later, Travis asked, “What's going on?”

Vic sniffled and wiped at her eyes. “I think Lucas just left me.”

“I'll be there in ten,” he said and hung up. Vic set her phone down and glanced toward the table. Their plates were still there, barely touched. She busied herself cleaning up while she waited for Travis. He arrived within the ten-minute timeframe and pulled her into his arms as soon as she opened the door. “What happened?”

They moved to the couch, and, through sobs, Vic told him. When she was finished, she wiped at her eyes and asked, “How could I have been so stupid? Now he's probably going to fire me just so he doesn't have to deal with any of it or risk losing his job.”

“Let him try,” Travis declared. “He'll get the full force of Station 19 brought against him.”

She couldn't help but smile a little at that visual. Then she shook her head. “I can't let you do that. The whole team doesn't need to lose their jobs because I made a dumb decision to sleep with the boss.”

“Stop protecting us,” Travis told her. “We stand up for each other in this family. And he's the boss, so he shouldn't dump it all on you. He made the decision to sleep with a subordinate. Not that I blame him.”

“Thanks for that,” Vic said, nudging his shoulder. “I just don't understand his reaction. He's the one who asked me to meet his family. I told him it meant us coming out as a couple, and he was okay with it. At least, he said he was.”

Travis shook his head. “I don't know why some men do or say the things they do and not mean it. But whatever he does, we will fight it. Okay?"

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Good. Now, is this an ice cream and movie night or a Joe's and Ripley dartboard night?” Travis asked.

“I don't feel like being in public. Besides, people might make assumptions if we post his face to the dartboard,” Vic said.

“Ice cream it is.” Travis went to the kitchen. Vic watched him get the ice cream, two bowls, and two spoons out. He brought everything back to the couch and sat down. “I know I'm not a female, but I know heartbreak and how to treat it.”

Vic scooped up a spoonful of the cookie dough ice cream and told him, “Thank you, Travis. For understanding. For not yelling at me. And for being a great friend.”

“Of course. I owe you. You did save my life, you know.” They shared a genuine smile. The ice cream and Travis's company wouldn't make up for Lucas walking out on her, but it definitely helped.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The confrontation.

Sunlight filtered through the blinds when Vic woke up the next morning. She sat up and grabbed for her phone. Surely she hadn't overslept. According to her phone, she had just over an hour before shift started. She also had two messages. The first was from Travis, checking up on her. Vic texted him back that she'd just woken up and would see him at work.

The second text was from Lucas. It said, “Come to my office before shift.”

What the hell did that mean? Was he going to officially tell her it was over? Was he firing her? Was he going to warn her that he was filing a lawsuit? How courteous that would be of him. Whatever it meant, it couldn't be good. Vic had never been to his office before. Every time he had a reason to see a firefighter, he went to that station. Everybody in the department knew that. So why was he making her go to him?

Curious and wanting it to all be over, Vic hurried to get ready. She walked into Headquarters twenty minutes before her shift was supposed to start. They should have just enough time to say a quick goodbye, and then she could go to work. Hopefully. If he didn't fire her.

His secretary gave her a friendly smile. Vic had to clear her throat before she could tell the woman, “Victoria Hughes. I'm supposed to report to the Chief's office.”

“Go on in. He's expecting you,” the secretary replied. If something bad was about to happen, clearly the woman didn't know about it. Shouldn't the Chief's secretary know if he was about to fire someone? Not if it was because he was also breaking up with her.

Vic knocked on the closed door even though he was expecting her. She refused to acknowledge the skip in her heartbeat when he called for her to enter. Taking a brief moment to calm her anxiety, Vic opened the door. Lucas – Chief Ripley sat behind his desk, as she expected. What she didn't expect was to see Battalion Chief Frankel and another woman sitting in front of the desk.

Or the smile on Lucas's lips as he said, “Hughes, come on in and shut the door.”

She did. Then she lowered herself into the remaining chair and asked, “What's going on?”

He indicated the two women and told her, “I've just informed Battalion Chief Frankel and an HR representative, Karen, of our relationship. They have a few questions for you.”

Vic glanced from him to the two women and back again. “I don't understand. I thought you didn't want this.”

His smile dimmed. His forehead creased, and his eyes drew close together. “I never said that. I said I needed to think about it. Which I did.”

“And this is your answer?” she asked him pointedly. “To announce it without even letting me know first?”

Lucas leaned forward over his desk. “I thought this is what you wanted.”

“I don't know what I want. I thought we would make that decision together,” she stated, trying not to glare at him in front of Frankel and Karen.

“Can you two have your lovers spat later? We've all got work to do,” Frankel interrupted. Vic deflated. She had to deal with the consequences of her choices whether she was ready to or not. Lucas had made sure of that.

She straightened her shoulders and ignored him as she told the other two, “Ask anything you need to know.”

Karen began with, “Have you been in a romantic relationship with Fire Chief Ripley for the last two months?”

“Yes.”

“Was it consensual?”

“Yes.”

“Did it affect your ability to work in any way at any point?”

Vic thought back to the day of the storm. If anything, working beside Lucas had made her enjoy the job even more. But that wouldn't be happening again, so it wasn't really important to this conversation. She focused on the HR representative and said, “No.”

Karen scribbled in a notebook. Vic glanced toward Lucas. He was looking down at some paperwork, but the pen in his hand didn't move. She knew he was listening, especially when Karen inquired, “Which of you instigated the relationship?”

“Can I say both?” Vic responded. Lucas's head lifted. Frankel's gaze shifted between him and Vic. Karen seemed unfazed and simply nodded. Vic explained, “I apologized to him for some things I'd said before, and it kind of built up from there. The first physical contact was mutual.”

Karen hummed and scribbled some more. Vic looked at Lucas. He smiled. She wasn't sure what to make of his attitude. He didn't seem like he was getting ready to fire her. He wasn't glaring or frowning. Rather, he seemed almost content. But that didn't make sense after his reaction the night before. What kind of thinking had he done?

“Does anyone else in the department have knowledge of the relationship?”

Vic paused. She checked on Lucas again to see his reaction to the question. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching her. Vic faced Karen. “Lieutenant Gibson found out about the first time we were together, but I never led him to believe it continued. I informed Montgomery of the relationship during our last shift.”

She caught Lucas's hint of a smile in her peripheral vision. She didn't know what he had admitted to on the same question, but she was not going to get her house family in trouble for something she had done. Apparently her version held up, though, since the two women moved on with more questions.

The inquiries dwindled after that. The rest were mostly about details. A few hinted at how they acted toward each other while he was interim captain at 19. Frankel added a couple of questions but mostly sat in her chair and frowned at them in varying degrees. Vic knew she would have to prove herself to the Battalion Chief now. She would not have an easy hill to climb if she ever decided to go for a promotion.

Finally Karen shut the book she'd been scribbling in and stood. Frankel stood as well. Karen said, “We will look into this, compare your answers, and let you know our decision by the end of next week. Just make sure not to interact unless the job requires while one or both of you are on duty. Battalion Chief Frankel will handle all upper-level decisions for Station 19 for the time being.”

“Thank you,” Lucas told her, standing and shaking her hand.

“Don't thank me yet, Chief. You know how this could turn out for you both,” she replied. Vic felt a lump form in her throat, making it difficult to breathe. It was happening. HR knew. Frankel knew. They would know the repercussions within a week. She would find out just how horribly she'd screwed up.

The two women left the office, and Lucas shut the door behind them. He stepped in front of Vic and squeezed her shoulders. She jerked away from him and moved to the other side of the room. Lucas let his arms fall to his sides and faced her. “Everything will be fine, Victoria. We'll get through this, together. If you still want to.”

She met his gaze. Seriously? Did he really think he could act like they were fine after walking out on her? “What do you mean, together? You made it pretty clear last night that we don't need to do anything together anymore.”

“What are you talking about?”

Vic shook her head. “You left in the middle of what I thought was us discussing our options. And then you make a decision to let the department know what's been going on without bothering to warn me. Or ask if I was ready for it.”

“Vic, I'm sorry if I upset you or alienated you. I was up all night trying to figure out a way for us to keep our jobs and our relationship. This morning I wanted to get things started so hopefully we can have it behind us before the new year. If that's not what you want, tell me,” he pleaded.

She watched him as he spoke. He never looked away from her, but he did move closer. Vic could see his eyes, how clouded and worried they were. Had she misunderstood his actions last night? Maybe. “But you still walked out on me.”

Lucas reached her but didn't touch her. He barely kept his voice low enough to not be heard outside the office when he responded, “What do you want me to say? That I got scared? That I didn't know what to think or do? That I wasn't ready to face what I feel for you?”

“That would be a start,” Vic told him. “Why are you the one freaking out, anyway? I already know you fell in love with me, and I didn't leave you.”

“How long have you known?” he asked, a lot quieter now.

Vic eased up, too. “I figured it out at your parents' house. They weren't exactly subtle about how rarely you let them meet your girlfriends. Plus with the way you kept talking about making plans.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, I hadn't realized that. Sorry if it scared you.”

“That's not what scared me.”

“What did?”

“The fact that we might be getting so serious so fast.”

Lucas grasped both of her hands. She let him this time. This was the conversation they needed to have. He stared into her eyes for the longest time before finally telling her, “I know. Unfortunately our jobs, my position, caused us to have to think more seriously than just having some fun.”

“I'm not ready to let go of the spice,” Vic informed him.

He smiled and moved his hands to the sides of her neck. “I don't think we'll have a problem with that anytime soon.”

His lips had barely touched hers when she pulled back. “Were you not just in the same meeting I was? No physical interaction while on duty.”

“I can't help it. I love it when you yell at me,” he replied. He tried to kiss her again, but again she held back. Without breaking eye contact, he added, “My secretary is away from her desk at this time every day. I have no other meetings scheduled until after lunch. And the door is locked.”

Vic didn't fight him the third time he kissed her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The angst has lessened, but don't let it fool you!
> 
> I've decided to stretch out the story a little more. Hopefully one or two more chapters will get it where I need it. Thank God for a job with some free time!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic returns to the station.

Vic snuck into the station through the front and went straight to Sullivan's office. Thankfully she could see him through the blinds, and that he was alone. She knocked on the door and, after getting a response, went in and shut the door again. Sullivan stared at her. “Care to explain where you've been?”

“Umm, yeah. Yes. I was at Headquarters. With Lucas. I mean Chief Ripley. And Frankel, and HR.” She stopped and sucked in a breath. “We told the department about our relationship. Well, we told Frankel and Karen from HR.”

“I see,” Sullivan replied. “Should I expect a phone call?”

Vic realized then that she hadn't mentioned her captain knowing. Lucas might have since he's the one who told him. But Sullivan was her direct boss, so surely HR would need to talk to him about her anyway. She went with a shrug. “Possibly. I'm not really sure. They're looking into it, into us. So I assume so.”

“I will not lie for you. Or for Luke.”

She straightened. “I'd never ask you to, Sir. I don't think he would, either.”

Sullivan nodded. He lifted a folder, read something under it, and said, “You're on the air car with Gibson today.”

Apparently she was dismissed. She left the office and made it to the door of the bunk room before she heard her name being called. She stopped and turned around. “Travis! Hi.”

“Where have you been? You said you'd be here and then never showed. Not even a phone call.”

“I'm sorry. I've been at Headquarters all morning,” she admitted reluctantly. No more lies.

Travis moved closer and whispered, “Because of Ripley?”

Vic nodded, then spoke before Travis could. “He told HR and Frankel about us. They've been interviewing me since before shift started.”

“That was hours ago! What did he tell them?”

“I have no idea what he said. His part was over before I got there. They just needed my answers,” she said.

“So what happened?”

“They asked a lot of questions. Now they're investigating or whatever. You might get called in, too,” she warned him.

“Do I tell them what he did last night?” Travis asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Ever the protective brother.

No more lies, Vic repeated to herself. She forced out, “Uh, no. You don't need to worry about that.”

He watched her for several seconds. Then he inquired, “What did you do?”

She looked over his shoulder, at the floor, into the bunkroom. Everywhere but at her best friend. Travis sternly said, “Victoria.”

“Fine. I guess I'm back to being unable to keep secrets from you,” she stated. “If you must know, we talked after HR and Frankel left his office. And he apologized. And explained – sort of. And I yelled. And then…”

She stopped, really not wanting to admit what she had just done. What she knew she shouldn't have done. Was this how Lucas felt when she talked him into it? Travis cut that thought off by asking, “Did anyone hear you yelling at him? Because that might cause more problems for you.”

“There was no one around to hear it,” she said quetly.

Vic waited, watching for signs that her implication set in. It barely took two seconds before Travis closed his eyes and said, “Please tell me all you did was talk.”

She couldn't stop the small smile that appeared on her lips. “Not exactly.”

His eyes popped open. He stared at her. “Do I want to know?”

“Probably not.”

“But you're going to tell me anyway.”

Vic checked their surroundings and told him, “We had sex. Really, really good sex. In his office.”

“Seriously!?” Travis exploded, throwing his hands in the air. They landed on his hips. “What the hell were you thinking?”

She shrugged. “I can't help it if he gets turned on by me yelling at him. Or that he knows how to use his hands.”

“Oh my God,” Travis exclaimed. Vic laughed. Travis glared at her. Then he shook his head. “To be clear, this is the same guy who walked out on you just last night. In the middle of an argument.”

“Yes.”

“And yet this morning, you…have sex with him. In his office.”

“Who is Vic having kinky office sex with?” Andy asked from behind Travis. Vic had been having so much fun making Travis uncomfortable that she didn't notice the Lieutenant appear.

Travis glanced toward Andy and then back to Vic. She met his eyes quickly before saying, “Me and…the guy I'm seeing had an argument.”

“Ooh, make up sex! The best kind,” Andy replied. “So who is it? I didn't even know you were seeing someone. It's not that guy from 23, is it?”

Exaggerated coughing came from Travis. Vic slapped at his chest and told Andy, “It's not him. And we aren't really telling anyone just yet.”

“But Travis knows,” Andy stated.

“He set us up,” Vic said hurriedly. She caught Travis's surprised look in her peripheral vision. It wasn't a total lie. Him almost dying in the skyscraper fire was why she yelled and then apologized, which was the very beginning.

The alarm went off, calling for the aid car. Vic took off without a word. She needed to hurry for the call, but she wasn't going to admit she moved just a little faster than usual to get away from that awkward situation. But then she found herself in an even worse position. Stuck inside an aid car with Gibson.

She fidgeted as she mentally ran through ways to bring up her relationship. The least she could do was warn him about HR. She opened her mouth, but Gibson spoke up first. “So I received an email from HR requesting a meeting. You wouldn't know what that's about, would you?”

Vic swallowed the ball of anxiety in her throat. “I do, actually. It's about me. And Ripley.”

Gibson stayed silent for a couple miles. Just as they turned onto the street where the call was from, he said, “So you made a decision.”

“We did. We've been seeing each other ever since and told HR this morning.”

They stopped and began getting their things from the back. He asked, “Is that where you were? We were all kind of worried.”

Guilt punched Vic in the chest. She should have let someone know she would be late. “Yeah, we had our meeting this morning. Set yours up, and be honest. We were.”

Together they walked toward the house. Gibson knocked on the front door and then said, “I don't know much. Just what you told me – or didn't tell me – in your hypothetical situation.”

The door opened, and they focused on taking care of their patient. Vic was relieved that at least Gibson seemed to be handling the fiasco well. Travis was mad at her for not staying mad at Lucas. Sullivan was his usual grumpy self and probably not looking forward to the department being involved – or Frankel.

Vic had to admit that she was still a little hurt that Lucas had told the department without her. She wasn't quite sure she could forgive him yet. And while the sex was great, she needed to start thinking about more than that if they were going to continue the relationship. Apparently the spice stage actually was over.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next stage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Warning* This chapter got very dark on me. There is a scene of the team on a call that will make you cry, so have tissues nearby. It's very brief and not graphic, though.

Travis stayed mad at Vic for the rest of the shift. Vic wasn't sure why he was so angry, but he kept avoiding her. She couldn't ask about it if they were never in the same place without the others. Andy kept bugging her with questions she couldn't answer just yet. And then Andy told Maya, who didn't know when to stop obsessing.

By the time Vic began getting ready for bed, she was exhausted physically and mentally. None of the calls were bad, but she'd stayed busy trying to talk to Travis while staying away from Andy and Maya. She was packing her toothbrush and face wash back up when her phone rang. Lucas's name showed on the screen.

She answered, “What part of no contact while on duty do you not understand?”

“Whoa. Did I catch you at a bad time?” Lucas asked in response.

Vic checked to make sure the room was clear and sat on her bunk. “I wouldn't have taken the call if it was. But this is the second time in less than twenty-four hours that you've disobeyed orders, Chief.”

He actually chuckled. “I think we've switched places. Wasn't it you who convinced me to have sex while on duty in your own station?”

“Yes, and I'm starting to regret it.”

“What?” he asked, his tone suddenly serious.

Vic sighed. Yep, the spice was gone. Now she needed to deal with the next stage – figuring out if this relationship would last. She said, “I think we need to step back a little, just until we get the report from HR.”

“What do you mean by a step back?”

“We should limit our contact to work only.”

“So, you're saying we need to break up.”

“No,” she stated. Wasn't he supposed to be the one more experienced in romance? “I'm saying we need to put our relationship on hold. Karen said they would get back to us next week, right? I think it would be best if we stop non-work related contact until then.”

He was silent. Vic looked at her screen to make sure he hadn't hung up. But no, the line was still open. She placed the phone back against her ear in time to hear him ask, “Why?”

Before she could reply, the alarm went off for everybody. She jumped off the bed and told him, “I've got to go.”

She ended the call on her way to the aid car. Gibson already sat in the passenger seat, so Vic slid behind the wheel. She was glad she had to focus on driving. It meant she couldn't think about the conversation she wasn't able to finish.

And when they reached the scene right behind the two trucks, Vic knew it was going to be a long night. An entire two-story building of an apartment complex was burning. One end of an adjacent building also had caught on fire. People ran out of those apartments. Nobody was exiting the first building.

Sullivan was calling for additional units when Vic and Gibson reached him. Maya and Warren were getting the hoses connected. Andy, Miller, and Travis headed toward the people running out. Sullivan ended his call and told them, “Gibson, Hughes, find an area to start triage.”

They found an area of the parking lot far enough away that the heat wouldn't hurt patients further. Gibson had just started examining the first person when two more stations showed up, along with a well-known vehicle from Headquarters. Vic turned her back to the new arrivals and began checking the next person for injuries.

The injuries became more severe as rescue teams found survivors. Somehow they were still pulling people out of the fully engulfed building alive. Two more firefighters from another responding station joined Vic and Gibson. Yet she still felt as though there were too many injuries and not enough help.

When she moved to her next patient, she found a man with no shirt holding an infant. The baby screamed loud enough to hurt Vic's ears. Gently, she reached for the child and said, “I need to check him out. I promise to be careful.”

The man nodded and let her take him. Vic laid the baby down on a tarp. She inspected the burns quickly, then called for an immediate transfer. Hopefully he would make it in time to save as many limbs as possible. Once an aid car was on its way with the baby, Vic walked away from triage.

She stood in the dark with her back to the scene, singing her song and concentrating on her breathing. The smell of the smoke had changed. She closed her eyes only to open them again. That image was going to haunt her forever.

“Hughes!” she heard a familiar voice call. Sucking in one last breath, she turned and walked back to where the Fire Chief stood next to triage.

“Sorry, Chief. I needed a moment.”

“We have two critical coming out right now. I need you and Gibson to get them on a gurney and on their way immediately,” he told her.

Vic nodded and went to get Gibson. She needed to focus on those she could help save, not dwell on one she couldn't. When she reached her Lieutenant, he asked, “You okay? I saw what happened with the baby.”

“I'm fine. Let's get the gurney.”

Gibson grabbed her arm. “Tell Ripley you need some time. Kids are the hardest.”

“Hughes! Gibson! Let's get moving!” Lucas yelled. They headed for the aid car. They passed Travis on the way, and he gave Vic a questioning look. She just shook her head and kept walking. Yes, Lucas was yelling, but it was her fault for not moving quick enough. She needed to get out of her own head and refocus.

By the time the fire was out, they'd lost two buildings and six people. Nearly one hundred were injured. Vic and Gibson took the last patient to the hospital before returning to the station. The others arrived shortly after. Everyone was exhausted and filthy. The station reeked of smoke and blood. Thankfully no firefighters were seriously injured.

Vic exited the bathroom after cleaning up and ran into Travis. He pulled her down the hall, away from where everyone else was trying to come down from the adrenaline high. Once they were out of earshot, he said, “I need to say something that you're not going to like.”

“Okay…”

“I think you made a mistake getting involved with Ripley.”

“What makes you say that now?” she asked.

Travis told her, “The way he yelled at you tonight, singling you out. He reprimanded Sullivan for doing the same thing to Bishop. And after what he did yesterday and this morning, I just don't think it's a good idea for you to continue.”

Vic pondered his words. The same thing had already gone through her mind. Yet she could only blame herself. Realizing Travis didn't know that, she said, “I told him earlier that we need to stop seeing each other until HR gets back to us. Right before that call, actually.”

“That still doesn't excuse his behavior.”

“No, it doesn't,” she agreed. “But I'm not going to let one call end something that makes me happy.”

Travis studied her before saying, “You love him, don't you?”

She shook her head, “I'm not sure. But I do care about him and enjoy being with him.”

It was true. She was happy when she was with Lucas. And it wasn't just the sex, not anymore. They could talk when they had bad days and understand why certain calls bothered each other. She liked his family and could see herself spending more time with them, especially his sister. Her own family might be skeptical of his position over her, but they'd like him as a person.

No, she didn't want their relationship to end. If HR decided not to approve, then they would need to make some decisions. And Lucas would have to talk to her about what he wanted from her. They would have to compromise. One of them might leave the SFD, either transfer or quit altogether. Vic wasn't sure just yet what she was willing to give up, but she planned to spend the next few days figuring that out.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic finds out why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I managed to get two chapters up today. Yay for quiet days at work!
> 
> I think I finally see the end of this. It SHOULD BE just one more chapter.

Red, navy, or silver. Vic couldn't decide which color would look better on her. She would just be around her family from the station plus Grant, Ryan, and Maya's date for the night. But she still wanted to look – and feel – good. It was New Year's Eve, after all.

She slipped into the silver dress and faced her mirror. She liked the off-the-shoulder look, but it fit a little too tight across her stomach. Next was the red dress. It was covered in lace but showed her skin across her shoulders and down her arms. It looked damn good, but the sleeves didn't quite reach her wrists. Yes, she was being that picky about her wardrobe.

The last dress was navy, covered in lace, and sparkly. It had a band around her neck that flared down to under her arms. A peekaboo hole showed off just a hint of her cleavage. The dress hugged her body down to her waist and then fanned out, stopping just above her knees. Vic couldn't stop staring at herself.

Her doorbell rang. Vic checked her phone. No new messages. She was supposed to meet everyone at Travis's house, so no one was coming to pick her up. Besides, she still had plenty of time before she needed to leave. She just had nothing better to do but try on half of her closet. She could always go early, but she didn't want to give Travis time to try to convince her not to stay with Lucas.

Vic left her bedroom at the sound of someone knocking on her front door. She hurried over and opened it. “Lucas? What are you doing here?”

“Have you checked your email?” He stood with his hands in his pockets, looking almost vulnerable.

“I don't usually do that unless I'm at work,” she told him. “Why?”

Lucas pulled his phone out of his pocket, unlocked the screen, and handed it to her. “We received an answer from HR.”

Vic looked at the screen. It was open to an email sent to both of them from Karen. She read through the email. Twice. Then she looked up at him. “Does this really say what I think it says?”

He nodded, and a hesitant smile touched his lips. “We're in the clear. As long as we follow the guidelines, of course. Which does include no physical relations at work, I'm sorry to say.”

“I can live with that,” Vic blurted.

“So does this mean I can see you again?” he asked.

This was what she wanted. It was what she'd hoped for. And now she could have it. Vic looked him in the eye. “I think we need to have a serious talk.”

His smile disappeared. He lowered his head for a moment before facing her again. “I know I screwed up. I'm sorry.”

Vic stared into his eyes. She could see the remorse. And she could see that he still at least cared for her. She stepped back and held the door open wide. “Come on in.”

“You look amazing, by the way,” he said as they made their way to the couch.

She glanced down and realized she still wore the navy dress. Well, if Lucas liked it on her, then she was definitely going to wear it to Travis's party. If she made it there. She checked the clock. They had an hour before everyone was supposed to meet.

They sat down, and Lucas started, “I really am sorry, Vic. For walking out. For going to HR without you. If you don't want to see me again, I understand.”

Vic placed a hand on his. “I do want to see you again. But we need to figure out where this is going. We can't put it off any longer.”

He nodded. “I agree.”

“So, you're the one who introduced me to your family and then freaked out. What do you want from us?” Vic asked.

Lucas stared toward the blank TV as he said, “I want us. That's why I went to HR. I want to be able to take you out to dinner or have you by my side at fundraisers.” He looked back at her. “I want to be able to call you mine.”

Vic smiled even as she felt the itchiness of her eyes watering. “I want that, too.”

He intertwined their fingers. Vic looked down at their joined hands. So they knew what they wanted, which was a start. But she still needed more. She was trying to think of what that might be when Lucas spoke up.

“I'm scared, Victoria.”

Her gaze snapped up to meet his. “Of what?”

He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he said, “I've been married twice and divorced twice. Both times we rushed into it. Both times it fell apart. I don't want that to happen again.”

Vic stared at him. That was what she needed – to understand. And she did now. Why he ran when she brought up his feelings for her. Why he kept distracting her with sex. Why it had been over ten years since he introduced a woman to his family. She got it.

“Lucas, I'm okay with slow – as long as it's not too slow. Not Travis and Grant slow,” she stated. His eyebrows raised. Vic explained, “They made it to spice about the same time we did.”

“Haven't they been together months longer than us?”

“Exactly.” She waved her free hand in the air. “My point is, I'm happy with where we've been. We don't need to push it faster than we're ready for.”

“I'm glad you feel that way,” he said with the first genuine smile she'd seen in nearly a week. “So are we good now?”

Vic smiled back at him. “I think so. Just promise me something.”

“What's that?”

“Promise me you won't walk out the next time we have an argument. I don't think I'll be able to keep Travis from killing you,” she told him.

Lucas squirmed a bit. “I assume he's as protective of you as you are of him?”

“More.

“I'll keep that in mind.”

Vic checked the clock. Then she looked at Lucas and said, “I need to finish getting ready. We don't have time for you to go home and change, so your uniform will have to do.”

“Where are we going?”

“To Travis and Grant's party,” she told him as she dragged him up off the couch. “You're going to spend New Year's Eve with the amazing people of Station 19.”

“You're taking me to the house of the person who hates me right now?” he asked, following her to her bedroom.

Vic laughed. She started putting on her makeup and said, “You'll be fine. Everyone else will be there, including Grant. Plus I'll protect you.”

He let out a short laugh. “That makes me feel so much better. And by the way, why were you going to a party without me, looking like that?”

She turned to face him, her lipstick in her hand. “Are you going to be possessive of me now?”

“I have been for the last two months. I can just show it now.”

His face held no teasing smile, and his voice was not quite his commanding voice. Vic turned back to her mirror. “We'll discuss that later. The only family I have in Seattle will be there, which is the people from the station. And now I want to show them the secret I've been keeping.”

“So, what? We're just going to show up and say ‘hey, everyone! We're allowed to tell you we've been dating for two months now?’” Lucas asked.

Vic giggled as she closed her makeup bag. “Something like that. I figured we might as well get it all over with at once.”

“This is going to be interesting,” he commented. They left the apartment and got in Lucas's truck. The drive was quiet except for Vic's directions. When they reached Travis's house, Lucas asked, “Are you ready for this?”

Vic smiled. “I am. If it goes horribly wrong, we can always blame everything on the drinking that will be going on. Lots and lots of drinking.”

“Don't you have shift in the morning?”

Vic opened her door. “Don't be the Chief tonight, okay? Just be Lucas. I like Lucas.”

“But you don't like the Chief.”

“I have to keep telling him how to do his job,” she responded. He was still laughing when they met back up in front of the truck. They linked hands and headed toward the front door as if they did so on a regular basis. He rang the doorbell, and they waited.

When the door swung open, Andy stood in front of them. “Vic! Chief. Together?”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vic and Lucas tell the team.

Vic and Lucas entered Travis's house and followed Andy to where everyone was gathered in the living room. Miller stood on the kitchen side of the breakfast bar, handing what looked like one of his famous margaritas to Maya. A woman Vic didn't recognize took the drink from her and sipped it. Ryan, Gibson, and Warren were standing in a corner, each holding a glass of their own and talking animatedly. Travis and Grant appeared to be concentrating on the stereo system.

“Hey, guys!” Vic said loud enough to be heard over the noise. Everyone looked at the newcomers, and all conversations stopped. Even the music went silent.

Of course Travis broke the spell by yelling, “Seriously, Hughes?!”

Vic ignored the questioning stares and focused on Travis. “Yes, Montgomery. I brought him with me.”

“To my house.”

“To our house,” Grant corrected. He said to Vic, “I take it you worked everything out?”

She squeezed Lucas's hand and told him, “Yeah, we did.”

“What is going on here?” Andy asked.

“Well, you should be proud of me. I've been keeping this,” she lifted their joined hands, “from all of you for about two months now.”

“Whoa,” Ryan said into the silence. Travis crossed his arms over his chest and glared. Gibson shook his head. Everyone else, minus Maya's date, stared at them with their mouths agape.

Andy glanced between them and finally said, “Wait a minute. Is this who you and Travis were talking about the other day?”

Vic remembered the conversation Andy overheard and felt her cheeks warm. “Uh, yes?”

“The one you-? Where you-? I'm not really sure how to feel about this,” Andy stuttered out.

“You of all people should understand,” Maya said. “I, however, have so many questions I don't know where to begin.”

Lucas cleared his throat and told everyone, “Just so you know, the only way this affects any of you is that Battalion Chief Frankel will now be handling any issues for your station. But that doesn't mean I won't still stop in to check on you or that you can't come to me with any concerns you might have. I'm still your Fire Chief, and I still care about what's going on.”

“Seems to me you won't need us to tell you anything,” Andy said.

Vic responded, “I am not a spy for him. Our work life and personal life are completely separate. It has been since the start.”

Travis suddenly developed a cough. Andy raised one eyebrow. Vic narrowed her eyes in their direction, challenging them to tell the whole room what she knew they were thinking. Maya spoke up again, “I am so full of questions right now, but I have to say I can get behind this.”

“Oh, this you can support?” Andy asked Maya.

“You and Gibson weren't right for each other,” Maya stated. “Vic and the Chief? Now that is just hot! No offense, Sir.”

“None taken,” Lucas assured her with a short laugh.

Miller appeared in front of them, holding out two fresh margaritas. “I fully support this whole relationship thing. Just no oversharing or anything like that.”

“Awe, Miller, you know you want details,” Vic joked. His whole body shuddered as he made his way back to the kitchen.

“So many questions,” Maya piped up again. Clearly she'd had a couple of Miler's drinks already.

Vic looked around the room. Only one person hadn't given his opinion. “Warren?”

He only asked, “You do know who my wife is, right? And that she was my chief when I worked at the hospital?”

Lucas choked on the drink he'd just taken. Vic glanced over at him and warned, “No making stupid plans, remember?”

“I remember,” Lucas replied through his laughter.

“Care to share?” Ryan asked, smirking.

“No! No sharing,” Miller called out. “I have not had enough alcohol to deal with sharing.”

Almost everyone laughed. Vic joined in until she caught Travis still glaring. She let go of Lucas's hand and walked over to him. “Please try to be happy for me. You were okay with this at first.”

“That was before he hurt you,” Travis replied, thankfully quiet enough nobody could hear.

Lucas came up beside her and said, “I know I messed up that night, but it will not happen again. I will not hurt her a second time.”

Travis looked from one to the other. Then he pointed to Lucas and told him, “If you do, I will not hold back on you. Sir.”

“I won't stop you,” Lucas replied. Relief flowed through Vic. Her team knew. Most of them approved. Travis would be okay once he realized Lucas made her happy. And she would just have to talk with Andy, get her to understand.

Vic knew she would be answering a lot of questions in the next few days. But at least she could finally tell the truth. The first thing she planned to do the next day was apologize to her team for all the lies. They might get upset, but she hoped they would be able to forgive her. And she made a resolution to not tell any more lies. Even if that meant no more keeping secrets.

“Well, with that all cleared up, let's get back to enjoying the last night of a hellish yet wonderful year,” Grant announced.

Maya held up her glass and shouted, “Hell yeah!”

Miller called out, “Who needs a refill?”

Several nearly empty glasses were held up. Grant went to the stereo system and started the music back up. Lucas slipped his arm around Vic's waist. She lifted her lips to meet his. They'd done it. Her team knew. HR approved. And they made it through their first fight. She might just be able to handle this next stage of their relationship.

As the drinks kept coming, the atmosphere became more relaxed. Andy seemed to have forgotten about her animosity toward them and focused on Ryan. They apparently worked things out as well. Travis still wasn't friendly with Lucas, but he stopped glaring at least. Everybody else seemed to accept Lucas into the family. They joked and teased him and Vic most of the night.

Midnight arrived faster than Vic wanted it to. Grant started the countdown. Soon they all joined in and then cheered as the clock chimed. Fireworks went off somewhere nearby. Ryan kissed Andy. Maya kissed her date. Then Lucas placed his fingers on Vic's chin and turned her face toward his.

“I think I might love you, Victoria Hughes,” he whispered right before their lips met. Her hands moved to the back of his neck as she kissed him back.

“Some of us are a bit uncomfortable, Hughes!” Miler hollered.

Vic broke the kiss but didn't move away from Lucas as she responded, “Get used to it, Miller. You'll be seeing it a lot now that we don't have to hide it.”

Miller groaned while others laughed. Vic kissed Lucas again. When she pulled back a second time, she whispered, “I think I might love you, too, Lucas Ripley.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. It's finally finished! Thank you to everyone who read and commented. This really was just going to be Lucas asking and then Vic meeting his family. It just kind of blew up from there. I hope you've enjoyed the ride, and I look forward to writing some more!


End file.
